Wayne County will receive about $230,000 and Union County about $25,000 from the distribution of Wayne Union Recycling’s assets.
During a joint meeting March 21 in Union County’s courthouse, the WUR board, Union County commissioners and Wayne County commissioners approved an analysis of WUR assets and obligations, the distribution of assets and allocation of responsibilities and operational issues during 2025. All votes were unanimous.
The two counties operated the regional solid waste management district for more than two decades, but Wayne County withdrew from it as of Dec. 31, 2024. That effectively dissolved the regional district, leaving each county the option of joining another regional district or forming its own district. Wayne County commissioners have voted not to have a solid waste management district.
“What we intend at this point is for Wayne County to work with Richmond Sanitary District to expand their recycling efforts in Wayne County,” said Jeff Plasterer, president of Wayne County’s commissioners.
Wayne County also intends to continue special events, such as e-waste and tire collections, and permit Union County residents to participate, Plasterer said.
Cathy Williams, a Wayne County Council and WUR board member, said Wayne County left WUR to make recycling better for both counties.
“We’re not just trying to get out of recycling,” she said. “We need to do recycling, and we need to do it much, much better, so that is what we’re attempting to do.”
Among the operational issues approved is the two counties’ executive bodies working together this year to ensure the WUR efforts continue in a “more cost-effective and outcome-focused manner than was the case prior to dissolution.”
Union County is working to develop a recycling plan. Its commissioners plan to discuss options and receive suggestions from Rumpke Consolidated Companies and Richmond Sanitary District to make the county’s recycling more efficient.
“This is a transition year, so we have a year to do this,” said Howard Curry, a Union County commissioner.
WUR’s tangible assets, such as pens, pencils, tote bags, two laptops and a Ricoh printer, will go to Wayne County Soil and Water District. An assortment of recycling books, activity booklets and binders will go to Wayne County.
Funds in a checking account, money market account and certificate of deposit, which now total $258,250, will be split between the two counties based on percentage of population. Wayne County will receive 90%, which now would be $232,425, while Union County would receive the other 10%, which now would be $25,825. The funds must be spent to further the overall purposes of a solid waste management district.
Through the end of the year, WUR’s responsibilities of reimbursing Union County-College Corner Joint School District for its trash and recycling payments to Rumpke and reimbursing Best Way Disposal for operations at collection stations in Union and Wayne counties will continue.
A full-time conservation education coordinator and a part-time assistant conservation education coordinator at Wayne County Soil and Water District will continue being funded 30% by the district, 30% by Richmond Sanitary District, 30% by WUR, and 10% by Union County Soil and Water District during 2025.
A version of this article appeared in the March 26 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.